Just one more bite
by TheatreKidAtHeart
Summary: Kirsty is having a rubbish time at work. She was a Mental Health nurse and Paeds is nothing like she expected. When Sam's youngest daughter turns up at work panic sets in. Nobody can get through to Grace about her illness Can Kirsty help her?
1. Chapter 1

KIRSTY POV

" You have one new message. Message one, received today at 12:51am. Hi Kirst, it's Sam. Sorry to bother you but well I need your help and Tess said you'd, well you'd understand. Please call me when you get this. Hope your well. Erm bye. End of Messages." I looked down at my phone, I hadn't spoken to Sam in well over a year. We were friends, of course but since leaving Holby that all seemed a distant memory. I reminded myself that I'd have to Sam as soon as I'd dropped Nita off at college.

I drank what was left of my coffee then went upstairs to Nita's room, bracing myself before the fight to wake up her up. "Nita, come on. Get up love, you've got to be in college for half ten." I shouted, opening her bedroom door. Unusually for Nita, she was sat on her bed, dressed and doing her psychology assignment. "Morning mum, I got up early needed to finish this essay. Swear down mum, psychology will be the death of me. Can you drop me off before work please?" Nita moaned. "Of course I can love but I need to leave in twenty minutes so come and get some breakfast." I said, she was never on time for anything. "Not hungry, but I need to sort my make up then I'll be down." she said innocently. I left Nita to doll herself up and went to put my uniform on.

I work on a paediatric ward now. I love it but it wasn't Holby and it wasn't an emergency department. Obviously working in the ED at Holby was fast paced and you never got a moment to yourself but on the 'Treetops' ward where I worked now it was a bit more laid back and I got to know the patients quite well. The best thing about working on 'Treetops' was my uniform, I wore a nursing tunic of course but it had butterflies and fairies on. It made it more child friendly, apparently. I finished getting ready and went to find Nita.

To my surprise, Nita was already sitting on the stairs waiting for me, a welcome change if you ask me. "Somebody's eager this morning. ready to go?" I laughed, she nodded and grabbed her college files. We sang along to the radio, until we drove up to the college and Nita quickly turned it off saying that she would lose her street cred. "I'm on a nine till three today so see you after I finish. Going out for tea so make sure you're ready for five." I called after her as she slumped off.

I arrived at the hospital half an hour early. I like to get myself settled with a cup of coffee before the night shift started handover. I would have the same 6 patients which I had to nurse. One teenage girl recovering from a serious suicide attempt; a four year old boy who had just had his appendix out; a two year old girl with meningitis; a teenage boy with severe breathing problems and two patients recovering from having their tonsils out. The joys of paediatrics.

I decided that now would be a good time to ring Sam. She never needed help, nor was she the sort of person to leave voice-mails after ten o'clock. She liked her beauty sleep. Strangely, Sam didn't answer the phone and I tied to ring her six times. I quickly text Tess in a panic. "Hi, Tess just me. Hope your all well. On a middle shift :/ hope the ED isn't too busy. Got a funny message from Sam Nicholls last night and I'm a bit worried. Check on her for me please? Btw, me and Nita will be down in school hols. got my 7 days off. Love Kirst X"

In a bit of a fluster, I returned to the nurses station waiting for hand over to start. As predicted I was given the same six patients as yesterday but as we were short staffed (typical NHS), I was given an extra two patients. The first one was no trouble, a constipated baby but the second one was a difficult teenager, who refused to give her name.

I did my rounds for my first seven patients. My teenage girl ( suicide attempt) had woken up but wasn't too pleased to be alive, after some reassurance and a hug she'd calmed down. I left her with the play specialists. The boy who had his appendix out was healing well and doing some school work. The little girl who had meningitis was still very unwell but responding to antibiotics. The teenage boy with breathing problems had deteriorated and was on a nasal nebuliser. The two patients who had their tonsils out were almost ready to go home and the gorgeous little baby boy who had constipation was a little whinny but had just been reviewed by the doctor and given the right medication.

It crossed my mind to ring Sam on my break. I shook off my worried thoughts and went to see this difficult teenager all the night shift had been raving about. I walked into the side room that she was residing in. Before I had chance to pick up her notes she looked at me in astonishment "Kirtsy? I didn't know you worked here" She said surprised. I recognised her immediately. It was Sam's youngest daughter, Grace.

Grace looked exactly like her mother. Long blonde hair, bright green eyes and a cheeky smile. I understood why the nurses on the night shift had kicked up such a fuss. Grace was a very strong willed thirteen year old and if she didn't agree with something, you would certainly know about it. It finally became clear to me why Sam had sounded so upset on the voicemail message.

Grace was attending school in Holby but Sam had her fair share of problems with all three of her daughters. Hannah is twenty one, studying drama therapy university, she is a very dependable person and has bipolar disorder but she now manages it very well. Jenny is seventeen, still at sixthform and a rather wild teenager. Grace was the exception, she was very easy compared to both of her sisters but as she turned thirteen her relationship with Sam became distant and her relationship with food deteriorated. Grace was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa- the restrictive subtype.

"Grace, what are you doing here? You mother will be worried sick?" I said sharply, she knew she couldn't get round me. She looked ashamed. "I didn't ask to be here, I collapsed in the town centre and hit my head. I woke up in A and E. Mum won't be bothered, she's wrapped up with all of Hannah's stuff. You know what she's like." Grace explained. I nodded in agreement. "That gives you no excuse for behaving the way you did and certainly retaining information from the medical here is going to do you no favours. Why did you faint Grace?" I said sternly.

Grace shuffled, I knew why she'd fainted but I needed her to tell me. I was met with a long silence. "No messing about Grace. I'm going to take some observations from you and your weight, then you'll get reviewed by the doctor and probably CAMHS" Grace began to protest to getting weighed but knowing that I was similar to her own mother, she just gave a slight nod. I quickly did her observations and weight and hurried off to the rest of my patients.

GRACE'S POV

Oh my god. If Kirsty tells my mum where I am, well I'm in deep trouble. I ran away from home. i know what everyone thinks about me. That I'm this bratty teenager who ran off becasue I couldn't get me own way. Well they're wrong. Eugh! it's all mum's fault. All she cares about is the hospital and Hannah. They take up so much of her time whereas I just mingle around in the background like an idiot.

I'm kinda freaking out about Kirsty weighing me. Why would she do that? She can't, I'm too fat for her scales but she wont back down. She's like mum in that respect. I had a fight with the crappy Doctor on this ward last night. She was saying that my blood pressure is low and that I need to be put on medication to make it higher but it's not even that low. If Kirsty weighs me, she'll find out that I'm overweight and I can't have that I really can't.

I need a plan on how to get out of this. The door opening interrupted my thoughts. "Hello Grace, My name is Doctor Mason is it alright for me to check you over." she said to me, I nodded not really wanting her to touch me. She took the stethoscope from around her neck and told me to breath deeply. What other kind of breathing is there?

Doctor Mason fussed over me for what seemed like an eternity. She said my observations were worrying and that she needed me to eat something today. I point blank refused. I don't need to eat at all. As they say, ''eating isn't very Chanel." She also told me that I was going to be assessed by a child psychologist today. Apparently, they are going to see if I need to be in a hospital for my eating disorder. They will probably laugh because I'm a fat whale and only skinny people have eating problems. I defiantly don't have an eating disorder.


	2. Chapter 2

_Grace's Point of View_

I fell asleep for a while until Kirsty woke me up. Breakfast was put in front of me. I had Weetabix which was the lowest calorific food on their menu. I managed two spoonfuls and then burnt them off straight away. Sit ups and 20 minutes pacing in my room.

I start to feel dizzy after my workout so I sit on the bed and get out my mobile. Mum would be crushed that I ran away, I need to tell her I'm safe and ask if I can stop here for a little while. I'm sure Kirst won't mind.

**_"_****_Mum,I' m ok. I'm on the kids ward where Kirsty works. I'm ok though. Kirsty's looking after me. Don't be mad, I needed some space and to sort my shit out. I can't do that at home. CAMHS are coming to see me soon. Let you know what's happening and that. Gunna ask Kirsty if I can crash with her and Nita for a bit. Give a kiss to Han for me. Love you both love Grace xXx"_**

I can't remember how it even got like this. It was a long period of time. Mum was always at work and Hannah was always poorly so I had to look after her. Her and Jenny take up a lot of mum's time. I never used to mind before because the more time mum spent with my sisters, the less she focused on me eating. The more isolated I would become and my calorie intake would decrease. Those 2 spoonfuls of cereal were the first I've eaten in seven days but I won't admit that to anybody. I do not have a problem. I'm fat. A few months ago, I had an art project at school. We had to do a self portrait, I drew a whale and all my friends laughed and called me a 'skinny bitch.' I know now that they were being sarcastic.

I have no energy today, so I lie on the bed and close my eyes. I fall into a deep sleep, dreaming about all the meals that I so wish I could eat. If I want to have a flat tummy and a thigh gap then I need to be strong. I push food to one side and sleep soundly.

_Kirsty Point of View_

I'm waiting for another patient to be admitted but I can't help thinking about Grace. She was such a happy little girl. I never thought that she would develop anorexia. She looks so frail and ill laid in that hospital bed. I spoke to Dr Mason and she said Grace will definitely be sectioned this afternoon. I can't bring myself to tell her. Grace's BMI is 12 and she's going to end up with a NG tube (tube fed) if she continues to restrict her fluids and diet. This is not what I want for my friends little girl.


End file.
